The Pantheon of Divinities
In Orthonia's cosmology, the deities are very much a physical presence that can be felt by nearly everyone on the material plane. There are eighteen deities who coalesced from energies that gained sentience following the creation of existence itself, and eventually accreted to the point of being able to sculpt the leftover energies into planes of existence. (More on this in the Cosmology of Orthonia page) Six of the deities wish to further peace among themselves and the intelligent beings of the multiverse, while another six conspire to annihilate all that does not directly serve and please them, and the remaining six only want to go about their business without interference from the others. These groupings are referred to as the Gracious, the Malign, and the Cryptic, respectively. The Gracious Adareos * God of Valor and Honor Adareos is the lawful good deity of chivalry and the noble aspects of war, and is also associated with athletic contests. He is depicted as a human, or rarely an elf, clad in plate armor or gladiatorial gear. He is the brother and archnemesis of Valrot, the half-brother of Urinda, and Emandrel's lover. Associated with the domains of Light and War, his holy symbol is a shield with a sunburst behind it, and his favored weapon is the battleaxe. Beala * Goddess of Flora and Fauna Beala is the neutral good deity associated with animal and plant life, and by extension, agriculture and forestry. She is depicted as an elf, or occasionally as a great beast with glowing green eyes. She is the sister of Sazra, with whom she competes for the romantic attention of Tromar. She is associated with the domains of Life and Nature, her holy symbol is an oak tree with a bird of prey perched in it, and her favored weapon is the sickle. Dradanus * God of Sky and Stars Dradanus is the neutral good deity of the heavenly sky and celestial bodies, including both the sun and the moon. He is also associated with lightning. He is depicted as a human, occasionally as a dwarf, or as an ambiguous constellation of stars. He is the father of Tromar and the brother of Maki. He is associated with the domains of Light and Tempest, his holy symbol is a circle imposed into a crescent, and his favored weapon is the trident. Emandrel * Goddess of Healing and the Arts Emandrel is the chaotic good deity of healers, doctors, and creators of all kinds. Thus she is associated with curing diseases and injuries, fertility, and positive energy. She is often depicted as an elf with fair skin, wearing healer's vestments. She is the daughter of Avonans and the sister of the former deity Ioulath, as well as the lover of Adareos and a friend of Lienne. She is associated with the domains of Life and Light, her holy symbol is a hand cradling a white starburst, and her favored weapon is the quarterstaff. Gaumain * God of Exploration and Adventure Gaumain is the chaotic good deity of travelers, adventurers, and risk-takers in general. He is often known for blessing folk heroes who seek to do the right thing at any cost. He is depicted most often as a halfling youth embarking on Longwalking. He is the half-brother of Corvit, with whom he shares a friendly rivalry. He is associated with the domains of Knowledge and Trickery, his holy symbol is an eight-spoked wagon wheel, and his favored weapon is the rapier. Urinda * Goddess of Civilization and Protection Urinda is the lawful good goddess of society and civilization. She serves as a foremost patron of law and justice in most of the world's cultures, and is credited for founding the first paladin orders. She is depicted as a human or dwarf carrying a large, triangular shield. She is the half-sister of Adareos and the sister and archnemesis of Craine. She is associated with the domains of Knowledge and Life, her holy symbol is an arm carrying a torch, and her favored weapon is the halberd. The Cryptic Avonans Caemandra Corvit Lienne Maki Tromar The Malign Aliz Craine Galather Moun Sazra Velrot FILLER THING